The present invention relates to the structure of a seat sliding in the back and forth with respect to the floor surface of a vehicle.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a slide rail structure designed to make a lower rail longer to provide a long traveling distance in the longitudinal direction in the vehicle. This structure is also applicable to a driver""s seat, passenger seat and bench-formed seat in addition to a split type rear seat.
To prevent synchronization errors of the slide rails 101 for a normal seat 100, the sliding rails 101 are mounted on the seat 100 while mounting dimensional accuracy is maintained with a jig, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 (a) and (b). Then the seat 100 provided with the sliding rails 101 is brought into the vehicle through the door opening thereof, and the seat 100 is locked on a floor panel 102 through the sliding rail 101.
Furthermore, the sliding rail 101 is locked in either of the following two ways: it is locked as it is mounted on a carpet 103 covering the floor panel 102, or it is embedded into a carpet by cutting a notch therein.
According to the conventional mounting structure, the sliding rail 101 and seat 100 are mounted on the vehicle after they have been put together into one piece. Although the sufficient dimensions for mounting sliding rails 101 may be obtained, the sliding rail 101 must have a short enough length which allows the seat 100 to be carried into the vehicle through the door opening thereof since the seat 100 is brought inside through the opening. This imposes a restriction on the length of the sliding rail 101, so it has been difficult to set a long back and forth traveling distance of the seat 100 according to the conventional method.
Furthermore, the lower rail 104 of the sliding rail 101 is positioned above the floor panel 102. So when an occupant moves in the vehicle or gets out of it, he or she has to mind the lower rail 104.
When it is embedded into the carpet 103, a long notch must be cut toward the forward direction in the carpet 103 to ensure that an upper rail 105 does not interfere with the carpet 103 when it moves forward, as illustrated in FIG. 10. This is certainly not an eye-pleasing external appearance.
According to some conventional method shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a sliding rail unit 106 having a specified length is locked on the floor panel 102, and the seat 100 alone is carried into the vehicle through the door opening. Then the seat 100 and sliding rail unit 106 are combined with each other by bolts 108 and nuts 109 using brackets 107 or the like.
In this case, the sliding rail units 106 can be embedded into the floor panel 102.
This makes it possible to have a long back and forth traveling distance of the seat 100, and permits the sliding rail to be embedded. This provides good appearance. However, the accuracy of mounting the sliding rails may be affected by the car body with increasing errors, so that a synchronization mismatch may occur.
The object of the present invention is to provide a seat sliding structure which ensures satisfactory dimensional accuracy for installation of the seat and sliding rails and a long traveling distance in the back and forth direction, makes it easier for passengers to get on and off the vehicle floor and improves appearance.
To solve these problems, the present invention provides a sliding rail structure which allows seat movement in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (as opposed to the width direction of the vehicle) with respect to the vehicle floor surface wherein a sliding rail comprising a lower rail and an upper rail is mounted on the seat in advance, and a groove longer than the lower rail is formed in the longitudinal direction of the floor constituting the vehicle floor surface. This structure is further characterized in that the lower rail and an extension that continues with this lower rail are installed in the groove to ensure that the upper rail can slide inside the lower rail and extension.
The present invention is further characterized in that the extension has a bracket placed in the groove.
The present invention is still further characterized in that the extension has a cover to protect or close the top surface of the extension.
The present invention is still further characterized in that a lower rail lip is provided on the top surface of the lower rail and a lip is placed at the center of the cover.
The present invention is still further characterized in that a lower rail is embedded in the concave-shaped portion of the floor carpet protecting the floor panel, and the lower rail lip and floor carpet are arranged on nearly the same plane or level so as to have a substantially flash appearance.